Tire



F. HICKMAN.

man APPLICATION FILED "18.2, i918. RENEWED NNE 5. |920- 13 64,758,Ptentd Jam 4, 192.1.

Snom/diez UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS HIGKM-AN, OF BOUND BMK; NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALLE TOBOUND BROOK OIL-LESS BEARING COMPANY. OF BOUNDBROOK. NEW JERSEY, A.

CORPORATION 0F NEW JERSEY.

TIR E.

Speceaton of Letters Patent.

Application led February 2, 1918, Serial No. 215,164. Renewed .Tune 5.1920. Serial No. 386,923.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Farmers IIrCnMAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Bound Brook, in the county ot Somerset and State of NewJersey, have invented neaT and useful Improvements in Tires. ot whichthe Jfollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to cushion tires5 and the primary object of thesaine is to provide a partially solid and partially pneumatic tire inone organization. and. as a consequence, reduce the liability ofpuncture and blowout to a minimum by climinating all parts that mighthave movement relatively to cach other, and, to a large extent, avoidfrictionally generated heat Within the bodyV ot the tire and between thelatter and the rim to which the tire is applied. A further object ot theinvention is to provide a tire of novel construction haw ing meanstherein in such position as to resist fracture or injury to the tirewhen subjected to lateral pressure or bending action during the use ofthe saine under various conditionsoiA travel and also to preventpunffture of the` pneumatic portion ot the tire which is located in suchposition as to be beyond reach of exterior puncturing means.`

The improved tire comprises an outer solid rubber component with aninner air tube seat or opening, the greater portion of the solid tirebeing outwardly beyond the seat so as to give an extended cushion orresilient action, and a thickness ot' rubber sufficient to withstandordinary penetrations from the exterior and thereby protect thepneumattic tire located Within the seat or recess. The outer portion ofthe pneumatic tire is guarded and shielded by reinforcing meansextending lengthwise of the tire which also adds to the resistance topenetration and protects the pneumatic tire, and approximately close tothe pneumatic tire opposite sides of the vertical center are yieldingreinforcingr devices which are also of such structure as to resistpenetration. The reinforcing devices at opposite sides of the center donot extend over the pneumatie tire seat or recess, nor along theopposite side portions of the same, but are positioned at points ivithinthe solid rubber cushion or resilient component of the tire which isliable to fracture or break under side stress or lateral strain Withoutin the least doti-acting trom the general yielding or freely resilientaction ot the tire. The invention also consists in the details ofconstruction and arrangement of the several parts which will be morefully hereinafter described Yand claimed.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a sectional perspective view or' a portion of the tireembodying the teatures of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section taken in the plane of the line 22, Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2. taken in the plane of the line 3--3,Fig. 1.

Fig. y1 is a partial transverse sectional view similar to Fig. 3,showing a slight modification.

The tire-as shown by Fies. 1, 2 and 3 is romposed mainly o1 a solidportion 5 having a recess or opening 6 accessible through the innerside1 as at 7, for the reception of a pneumatic tire 8 of usualiniatable form, the seat or recess 6 having a shoe or casing 9surrounding the same and embedded in the rubber of the portion 5 andcomposed preferably of fabric and rubber doubled over the seat, recessor opening 6 and eX- tending downwardly into and close to the edges otopposite clenchers 10 which are adapted to be engaged by a rim as willbe readily understood. It Will bc understood that the rubber portion 5is slightly vulcanized to give it suicient body and strength but is veryresilient or has an ample yielding action to render it eilecf-tive as acushioning means. In the modified form ot the tire as shown by Fig. 4fthe elenchcrs 10, as illustrated by Figs. l, 2 and 3, are replaced bystraight sides 11 and a corresponding formation relatively to the seat.yrecess or opening 6 to adapt the tire tor use with Wheel rims havingstraight edges. In other particulars the modified structure shovvn byFig. 4 is precisely similer to, the tire as illustrated by Figs. 1, 2and 3. In the modified form shown by Fig. 1 thc shoe or casing 9 isdoubled over the seat, recess or opening 6 and is extended downwardlyinto the rim-enga ging terminals 12, Wires 13 being inserted through theattaching extremities to assist in holding this form of the tire inapplied position to the rim.

The most essential feature of the invention resides in segmental guardsor reinforces 14 consisting of fabric and rubber stri s molded in themain rubber portion 5 o the tire and curved inwardly and upwardly fromlower starting points 15 where wires 16 are threaded through the tire asa strengthening means, the guards or reinforces 14 being disposed atsuch oints as to obviate fracture or breaking o the main rubber portion.5 of the tire at the points of greatest weakness under side or lateralstress without in the least interfering with the free compression anddistension of the main portion 5 of the tire when alternately subjectedto and released from tractive pressure, or in passing over obstructionsor inequalities in a roadway. Between the upwardly curved segmentalguards or rein forces 14 is a composite strip 17 which embodies rubberand fabric elements so assembled and arranged as to be rigid ornonstretchable in a lengthwise direction but readily yielding or elasticin a cross-wise direction. The strip 17 is made yielding or elastic in acrosswise direction to permit it to readily conform to the expansion andcontraction of the tire as a whole when sub jected to tractive pressure,and is nonstretchable in a lengthwise direction to insure a positiveretention oi the same within the solid rubber or yielding cushionelement and to maintain the latter in proper form circumferentially orlengthwise around the seat for the pneumatic element. This strip 17 isheld fixed within the tire above the seat recess or opening 6, saidstrip extending fully around the interior of the wheel, as shown, andserving to protect the top portion of the pneumatic tire 8 locatedwithin the seat recess or opening 6 and also to strengthen the tire, andthe guards 14 and the strip 17 enacting to set up a strong re sistanceat a point adjacent to the pneumatic tire and also preventing and infact entirely obstructing the entrance ol puncturing devices from theexterior through the cushion or rubber portion 5 of the tire into theseat recess or opening 6. The crosswise elasticity of the strip 17provides for a ready conformation of said strip to the compression ofthe cushion 5 and, therefore, does not interfere with the free resilientaction of the said cushion. The main portion or component 5 of the tireis formed at regular intervals with side recesses 18, the object ofthese recesses being to economize in the use of material and also toincrease the sensitive resilient action of the portion or component 5,This recessed construction, however, is not absolutely necessary in theeffective o eration ot' the tire, but` for general uses, it is foundpreferable to have the tire constructed with the said recesses. Thepneumatic tire 8 is so protected and located that it will not be liableto puncture or blowouts and the durability of the tire as a whole ismaterially increased, with a consequent reduction in expense of devicesof this class. rl`he improved cushion tire as a whole is sutlicientlyresilient to provide the necessary yielding tractive effect relativelyto a road surface. It will be understood that the pneumatic tire 8 isinserted in the seat recess or opening 6 in a collapsed condition andthen inflated when it will bc retained in its seat and be located closeto the rin. of theI wheel when the tire is applied to a wheel rim, withadvantages in the service of the tire :is n resilient or cushioningmeans and also in taking up and absorbing the vibra4 tions and shocksincident to sudden jolts or jars imposed on the tire in traveling overrough roads.

What is claimed is:

1. A tire comprising a solid resilient cushion element having an. innerseat, yielding non-puncturable guards extending from a point near thetop of the seat upwardly into the solid cushion element on oppositesides of the center ot the latter, and a composite strip transvcrselyembedded in the cushion element at a distance outwardly trom the innerseat thereof, said composite strip extending completely around thecushion element between and terminating at its opposite ends short ofthe said guards, and a pneumatic clement disposed in said seat.

2. A tire comprising a solid cushion element having an inner seat, thecushion element havingr yielding non-pnncturable guards extending from'a point near the top of the scat upwardly into the solid cushionelement on opposite sides of the center of the latter, and a pneumaticelement disposed in the said seat.

3. A tire comprising a solid cushion element having an inner seat, thecushion element also having yielding non-puncturable guards extendingfrom a point near the top of the seat upwardly into the solid cushionelement in converging planes on opposite sides of the center of thelatter, a protecting means extending crosswise at a distance outwardlyfrom the said seat between tlie guards, the guards continuing beyond theprotecting means toward the tread of the cushion element and free of thesaid means, and a pneumatic element disposed in the said seat.

In testimony whereof l have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing wit nesses.

FRANCIS HCKMAN Witnesses: 1

Pn'rnn A. KonoHLniN, FLOYD W. CASTERLIN.

